C.J. Petterson's Blog: Book launch scheduled, page 14

Writers' literary estates

 cj Sez: I’ve always known that I’m happiest when I learn something new every day. It’s the reason I take a college class every now and then. And it’s the reason I join writer groups and attend the occasional writers’ conferences.   The following is an updated post from my archives—when I learned that I needed to think about preserving my “literary estate.” Hmmm, I thought. What a concept: As a published writer, I have a literary estate, meager though it may currently be. Wow.
  Today, I learned I was wrong when I thought that the estate lawyer who drew up my will and trust documents was all I needed.
  Not so, Grasshopper. Copyright protection requires an attorney familiar with the subject. It’s a legal specialty. I need a copyright, publishing, and media lawyer. 

  I did learn that I am moving in the right direction. I keep
files … physical paper documents in file folders in addition to digital copies that I keep on a flash drive in a safe deposit box. I have a folder of contracts, correspondence, and pertinent information about the publisher (my agent, if I ever get one will be added), and the stories/books—are they still in print and who has the rights. In my case, I have requested my rights be returned. 
  I keep a file of works-in-progress and completed but unpublished manuscripts. I also keep a paper copy of all my passwords so that they’re accessible to my executor/trix. All of these things are notated and updated in pencil as they change until I can no longer read my scratch on the paper. Then I have to retype the thing.

  Perhaps, it’s the OCD in me. Perhaps. But it’s more likely because in my B.R. jobs (Before Retired), I absolutely had to be able to put my hand on a document within short minutes when the boss asked for it. I always filed my daily work documents in their appropriate folders before I left for the day. I'm not quite that dedicated now that I'm retired, but I do try.

  There is a bit more I need to do for my literary estate . . . like finding an attorney in this town who knows what to do with copyrights in estates§§

Etcetera

Susan DeFreitas (@manzanitafire), an award-winning author, editor, and book coach, writes about the all-important story opening on Jane Friedman’s blog:   https://www.janefriedman.com/the-secret-ingredient-of-successful-openings/
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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

Celebrate! Spring is springing today.

 cj Sez: Today, March 20, 2022, at 11:33 CST, the vernal equinox marks the start of spring in the northern hemisphere. 

  Now for a little scientific info … During the equinox, the sun passes directly above the equator and brings about twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of night (i.e. “equinox”). 
  In the northern hemisphere, the March equinox comes with warmer weather and budding flowers. In the southern hemisphere, it brings the beginning of fall. 

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Aspiring crime and mystery writers take note: Writers’ organizations are wonderful sources for learning the craft of writing, publishing, and networking. I’m a member of Mobile Writers Guild, Alabama Writers’ Forum, Alabama Writers’ Cooperative, as well as the international organization Sisters in Crime and their online group, Guppies. 
  In addition to a couple of creative writing courses in a college setting, each of those organizations has been important to achieving my goal to become a published author. When I have a question, someone has the answer I need.
  All of the organizations are comprised of published and non-published writers, hailing from a variety of professions and bringing with them a wealth of expertise.

“Sisters in Crime is an absolute necessity for anyone stepping into the crime writing world, and a continuing joy as our careers unfold.” - Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author, five-time Agatha winner, and Sisters in Crime past president.

  Some members are judges, doctors, private investigators, law enforcement officers, and there’s even a government agent or two. The feedback from these people is informative, super supportive, and on the money. 
  I’ll mention the world-wide group Guppies, specifically, because they have a large list of specialized subgroups (for agent searches, querying, critiquing, manuscript swaps, et al.), and, like Sisters-in-Crime, they also offer a variety of on-line skill-building classes.
  If you haven’t joined a writers’ organization, you should think about doing that.

§§ Etcetera.
Here’s a two-fer: Support a good cause and get treated to some wonderful and touching short stories. Harbor Humane Society's THE BIG FANG anthology is tentatively scheduled for release in April. This anthology has short stories from 22 different authors—stories full of mystery, murder, love, humor and more; and always involve an animal of some shape or form.
  My latest cozy mystery, "Firebug," is included in the charity anthology, and the short story features a Beagle-Golden Retriever-mix puppy named Harley.
  THE BIG FANG will be available for purchase on Amazon and in person at the shelter and our Harbor Humane Resale Store with all proceeds returning to Harbor Humane to support their animal rescue work.

Watch for it

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here:
https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

 

➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Spring is coming

cj Sez: The temperature was forecast to fall to 28° F last night in Mobile. My tender plants were sheltered, but I’m thinking about the feral kitties I feed but can’t protect. I hope they found a spot out of that cold, north wind. Winter had to make a final appearance, I guess, because the first day of Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere) is next week.

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Also coming soon …. Harbor Humane Society's first book - "THE BIG FANG" anthology is tentatively scheduled for release in April! This anthology, with short stories from 22 different authors, is full of mystery, murder, love, humor and more; and always involves an animal of some shape or form! 
  It will be available for purchase on Amazon and in person at the shelter and the Harbor Humane Resale Store with all proceeds returning to Harbor Humane to support their animal rescue work. 

P.S. My latest cozy mystery short, "Firebug," is included in this charity anthology. Watch for it!

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Etcetera.
My review of THE NEW IBERIA BLUES by James Lee Burke A Dave Robicheaux NovelA mystery, unflinchingly told. My rating: 5 stars

  James Lee Burke is one of my favorite mystery authors, and as always, his vivid deep-point-of- view in THE NEW IBERIA BLUES cinematically shows readers place, setting, and characters...and in this story some scenes are harsh.

  Early on in the story, Detective Dave Robicheaux, James Lee Burke’s familiar main character, describes a long-time friend as “He didn’t fit into a categorical shoe box and, consequently, got into trouble with everyone.” Fans of Burke will understand that the description is a perfect fit for Robicheaux as well. 
  Robicheaux is tempted to try to reclaim his youth when he's paired with a pretty and much-younger partner. He struggles to maintain his mature cool and stay out of trouble with the local police while he searches for an escaped prisoner who could be the serial killer leaving mutilated bodies strewn around Louisiana’s muddy bayou waters. There is, of course, a twisty ending.

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Advice. A Warning. Encouragement. For all the aspiring writers: https://www.janefriedman.com/if-you-cant-stand-the-sight-of-your-own-blood-dont-step-into-the-ring/

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That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

  

Gremlins and top-of-mind words

 cj Sez:  Like the gremlins of misspellings and typos that show up no matter how many times the document is proofread, beta read, edited, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera (like last week’s Lyrical Pens teaser), I will still find repeated words in my manuscripts.

  First drafts are almost always full of the words that are top-of-mind, the ones with which we are most familiar. Those familiar words allow writers to push through that raggedy first document rather than take time to search our minds or a thesaurus for better ones.

  It’s when writers get into the rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite mode that we see how our familiar words/phrases simply can’t live up to the task in our manuscripts. They rise to the surface as trite or overused once we get into the edit cycles.

  My solution is to use Word (or use whatever software you have) to “Find” how many times you repeat a word. I search my entire manuscript for some word I find too often during a quick read-aloud review, and then replace or delete (most often delete) the offending repetition. This great computer feature often leads to word choice or phrasing improvements that I didn’t see before.
Verbs. I usually start with the things I know I use too often, but one creative writing instructor I know suggests starting with the verbs . . . the “to be” verbs (is, were), but says don’t worry about occasional usage. Next go to active verbs. I find a lot of look, smile, walk, glance, shrug, frown, and variations of each.  How many are too many. I suggest that if they begin to annoy you when you see them in the text, there are too many. I also suggest that you read your work out loud. Overused words will jump off the page. 
Nouns. Don’t forget to check for nouns. I always find dozens of coffee, latte, mouth, eyes, eyebrows, and hands. I also check for “then” and “while.” When I find a lot of these, I know I have a problem with poor transitions and a lot of complex sentences that tend to slow down the reader.

Adverbs. Several years ago, The Guardian dot com ( http://bit.ly/1Xvbg5c ) published Elmore Leonard’s ten rules for writers, and his number 4 is about adverbs.  Said Leonard: “Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said" . . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself to the reader in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. 
  Mr. Leonard is not alone in offering this advice. That bit about the writer “exposing himself” refers to the author intruding into the reader’s enjoyment of a story. The writer is telling the readers what she/he wants them to know/sense about the character. Writers should never intrude into the reader’s story.     My suggestion: Find a strong verb that doesn’t need an “ly” helper—i.e., instead of “walked heavily,” perhaps “plodded.”

Adjectives. Are your characters often gorgeous, handsome, tall, sexy, ripped; your rooms large, tiny, trashed? Adjectives are important and necessary, but it’s incumbent on writers to find their own unique voice to describe things. Sometimes it’s by omission of the obvious words.

  One of my favorite examples (and I use it often) is the opening line of “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. “A squat, gray building of only thirty-four stories.”  It’s the “only” that is key. By comparison, the reader is able to visualize that all the buildings in Huxley’s new world are skyscraper tall except that particular one. The building is shorter and uglier (squat, gray) than all the others in this bright new world. The line is a promise of peculiar things that will happen in that odd building.

  I find that the more often I search for/replace overused words, the fewer I find because I am learning to recognize my tendency for repetition in my drafts. Perhaps you have the same result.  What are your most overused words?  Have you searched for them? §§
Etcetera and P.S.A.
Coming soon to a timepiece near most of you: Daylight saving time starts next Sunday, March 13, at 2 a.m. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed on Saturday.

  By the by, here’s why there is a time change twice a year. According to a dot com news media article:

“The U.S. first implemented daylight saving during World War I as a way to conserve fuel with the Standard Time Act of 1918, also known as the Calder Act.”

  If you’re an author, there is a correct way to write it in your stories. The correct term is daylight “saving” (not savings) time, and the AP Style Guide says it’s properly all lower case. §§

And just because it’s pretty. . .
Looking like a painting:
Son Jeff’s photo of North Point Light in IIwaco, WA

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That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.
cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

A fear if failure

cj Sez:  An excerpt from my archives: What was the first thing you wrote? A poem? A memoir? A little piece of fiction? Journaling in a diary? If you’re like me, you kept it and every once in a while, you resurrect it and wonder, “What was I thinking?” Or, and I applaud you if true, you think, “Did I really write this? It’s actually pretty good.”

  James Patterson once said that his first novel was rejected thirty-one times before it was published. Even after publication, it didn’t “do all that well.”* Failure didn’t discourage him; it encouraged him. He wanted to write.

 (* Not sure what he meant by that because when first published in 1976, THE THOMAS BERRYMAN NUMBER earned him the Edgar Award for “Best First Novel By An American Author.” He must have been referring to lower sales numbers.)

  So, where did his worldwide success come from, besides having a natural talent telling stories? He studied and analyzed the genre he wanted to write. Like many authors (I think the generalization is true), he started out writing part-time because he had a day job. Today, his books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide.

  From bios I’ve read, many, if not all, successful writers have some fear of failure, especially at the beginning of their careers. They have an idea they get excited to write about. The words flow from their minds and fingers like magic, but the farther they get into the story, the more they may second-guess their abilities. Doubts creep in: Someone’s already told this story, better. No one is going to read this drivel. It’ll never sell. (Sounds like me)

King on writing   In his 2001 memoir, On Writing, Stephen King writes: “I had been playing with the 
idea of writing a little book about writing
for a year or more ///but had held back because I didn’t trust my own motivations—why did I want to write about writing? What made me think I had anything worth saying? The easy answer is that someone who has sold as many books of fiction as I have must have something worthwhile to say about writing it, but the easy answer isn’t always the truth.” 
(p.s. The book was reissued in 2012 and again in 2020.)

  Those possibilities exist for all authors, even Patterson and King, and every so often they do have a book that doesn’t “do all that well.” Fortunately for their millions of fans, they continue to write wonderful stories.

  Like Patterson and King, to reduce the chances of failure, writers who aspire to become published authors must take the time to study the craft. Participate in workshops, conferences, writers’ groups, read-read-read, and get their manuscripts professionally edited before being published.

  I suggest that you write for yourself first. When you’re the only one you have to please, it reduces the stress of arranging coherent sentences into a story arc on a blank page. Write something then put it away for a few weeks or months before reading it again. You’ll be surprised at what you find.

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Etcetera and P.S.A.

  Calling all mystery, suspense, thriller, and crime writers. Sisters-in-Crime is an international organization of several hundred authors ready and willing to encourage and applaud your work. And they do not hesitate to share their expertise. The next time you’re on Facebook, drop by their page and see what’s happening. https://www.facebook.com/sistersincrime/
March 2022 Hallmark Publishing Open Submissions   Hallmark Publishing will be open to unsolicited and unagented submissions of wholesome and uplifting adult romance and women’s fiction novels between the dates of Tuesday, March 1 (12 a.m. Pacific) and Thursday, March 31 (12 p.m. Pacific.) For this open call, see important guidelines here: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/hallmark-publishing/were-taking-submissions?fbclid=IwAR3pA2fKBWDrl7WO2tZy1tKc9jdvq-5r8iA5-ru7J7MwrkNcIDcjfRm0xv8

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Reading Suggestions:

  Still sale priced at $1.99 at the time of this post, this Fat Tuesday anthology is chock full of short stories that are entertaining to read all year long:
MARDI GRAS PIECES BUY NOW    

LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.  
cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

  

Once upon a Mardi Gras

 cj Sez:  The photo taken at a parade pretty much describes the craziness of Mardi Gras in Mobile…fun and chaos in the streets.


  I admit I’ve never been to a Mardi Gras parade—too peoply for me—but here’s my favorite Mardi Gras story from a few years ago.
  Once upon a Saturday morning, I booked the authors’ writing room at The Haunted Bookshop and was thrilled when I found a parking space just around the corner from the bookstore. 
  I spent almost two hours working on story outlines,  proud of myself for being quasi successful at outlining—I call myself a pathfinder when I write.
  Just before noon I thought, “Okay. Time to leave.” Instead I meandered around the shop. I left the Bookshop at 12:30, and, blink, when I turned the street corner, my minivan was gone. I’m thinking who in the world is desperate enough to steal a 10-year old minivan?
  A bit of investigation revealed that a Mardi Gras parade was scheduled to roll down that street at 2 p.m., and the parking spaces had to be cleared two hours before it began. I was thirty minutes late.
  I explained to a friendly, motorcycle police officer (looking handsome in his uniform, astride that Harley) that I had accidentally overstayed my welcome at the parking space and wondered if he knew where my van went. He said it had been towed to a temporary impound lot, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where on the map/documents he was carrying. Another motorcycle cop rumbled up (I do love the throaty sound of a Harley engine) and pointed. My vehicle was, he said, “That way. Just go straight. You can’t miss it.” I tightened my grip on my briefcase and spent the next twenty or so minutes weaving through increasing crowds and around barriers as I walked half a mile “That way.”
  I paid $125 to be reunited with my vehicle. (A bargain since this year I’ve read the recovery fee has inflated to $150.) I guess I should have taken the time to read the temporary, fluttering, yellow paper sign with small lettering that listed parade parking hours. 
  By the by, Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is March 1 in 2022. However, the floats start parading in Mobile in January. Each float carries a costumed krewe* throwing parade goodies to the crowds. Each krewe has a unique history, name, and an annual theme for their floats.

(*What does krewe mean in Mardi Gras?

A krewe is a group or organization of revelers who band together to host an annual Mardi Gras ball, ride on a Mardi Gras parade float, and participate in social events throughout the year. There are more than 40 krewes in Mobile.)

§§

Etcetera ...

COVER REVEAL...my latest cozy mystery short, "Firebug," is included in this charity anthology. Tentatively scheduled for release in April.

 

It's Harbor Humane's first book - "THE BIG FANG" Anthology! A 22 story piece, from 22 different authors, this anthology is full of mystery, murder, love, humor and more; and always involves an animal of some shape or form!  It will be available for purchase on Amazon and in person at the shelter and our Harbor Humane Resale Store
§§ Reading Suggestions:
This Mobile Writers Guild anthology, ebook priced at $1.99, is chock full of short stories that are entertaining to read all year long: 
     MARDI GRAS PIECES BUY NOW   

LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER

§§ That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.
cj

 

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Pat Conroy loved his Enlish teachers

 cj Sez:  Author Pat Conroy credited his English teachers . . . no, make that lauded the “genius of” his English teachers for instilling in him a love of the English language.  As he is quoted on Goodreads (http://bit.ly/1ldfCg2 ): 

“I've been in ten thousand cities and have introduced myself to a hundred thousand strangers in my exuberant reading career, all because I listened to my fabulous English teachers and soaked up every single thing those magnificent men and women had to give. I cherish and praise them and thank them for finding me when I was a boy and presenting me with the precious gift of the English language.” 

  Me? I was too business-oriented to get that inspired by my high school and college English teachers (who were, nevertheless inspiring, wonderful, and quite funny).
  Despite my apparent lack of interest in writing during those years, I was, am, and will always be fascinated with words and syntax. I love, love, love the task of putting words together to create a story full of pictures and emotions. I especially like to lure readers into conjuring up the images of characters and places in their imaginations. My goal is that they make each of my stories their own. Deep point of view is my preferred style. Though sometimes I'm not quite where I need to be when I'm in the angst of creating the story, I revise, revise, and revise again.
  Still, calling myself a writer is a grand title I long hesitated to give myself despite being an author published in several genres (and being paid for it) for several years.
  But what really draws me to Mr. Conroy today is 
something he wrote in his memoir My Losing Season: A Memoir: 

“Do you think that Hemingway knew he was a writer at twenty years old? No, he did not. Or Fitzgerald, or Wolfe. This is a difficult concept to grasp.  . . .  But they had to take the first step. They had to call themselves writers. That is the first revolutionary act a writer has to make. It takes courage. But it's necessary.”

  That’s what it’s all about. We have to learn to call ourselves “writers.” Now that I’ve claimed the title, guess what? It feels good.
  Whether you’re a published or not-yet-published author, you should say it: “I am a writer!” Try it. Celebrate it. I bet you’ll like it too.
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Etcetera and P.S.A.
  Readers: If you’re looking for something to add to your ToBeRead pile (in addition to the suggestions I’ve listed below) but don’t connect with BookBub, here’s a link to get you to some wonderful books and specials … www.BookBub.com  
  Writers: Passing along a link to Jane Friedman’s popular blog and a guest post https://www.janefriedman.com/use-telling-details-to-connect-description-to-character/
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cj's Reading Suggestions:
  The following themed anthology ebooks priced at $1.99 are chock full of short stories that are entertaining to read all year long: 


VALENTINE’S DAY PIECES BUY NOW

  

MARDI GRAS PIECES BUY NOW   
LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER
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  My suspense/thriller novels, THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA, are priced at $2.49 through Feb. 19. These Jane Bond-ish adventures with a touch of romance are available at your favorite eBook seller and print copies are available locally in Mobile and via the internet at The Haunted Bookshop.
§§
  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.
 cj
P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my stories in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

And the winner is . . .

cj Sez:  Congratulations to Sherry Zehner Ney on winning the MARDI GRAS PIECES ebook in Lyrical Pens’ contest. Sherry already had MARDI GRAS PIECES on her Kindle (thank you very much) and chose to receive VALENTINE’S DAY PIECES instead.  

 

Enjoy, Sherry, and thanks for playing along.

 

VALENTINE'S DAY PIECES  Buy Now  $1.99 at the time of this post   https://amzn.to/3J7CsD8 §§

   I’m still going to school. This past week I earned my Certificate of Completion for Hillsdale College’s online lecture course on “Mark Twain: Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn,and Selected Short Stories.” Watched nine videos followed by nine exams, then a final exam. BSP:* I aced the final and two of the exams (got 90s and 80s on the others). Next on my scholastic agenda and sitting in my inbox is Hillsdale’s course exploring C. S. Lewis’s writings. Best of all, their courses are in my price range: Free!
  My motto: If I’m lucky I’ll get another year older, so I might as well try to get smarter, too. I love learning new things. I recommend it.
(*BSP = Blatant Self Promotion) §§

Etcetera and P.S.A.

  Readers take note... Excerpt of a quote from John Steinbeck: “///… a story has as many versions as it has readers. Everyone takes what he wants or can from it and thus changes it to his measure. Some pick out parts and reject the rest, some strain the story through their mesh of prejudice, some paint it with their own delight. ///” — John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

 

   Writers: Passing along a link to Jane Friedman’s blog and a guest post by editor and author Joe PonepintoMaybe you’ll find a helpful tidbit or two. I did.

https://www.janefriedman.com/use-telling-details-to-connect-description-to-character/

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Get your Mobile Mardi Gras stories here:  

The eBook is still $1.99 at the time of this post  https://amzn.to/3IuTYkM

 

LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER
§§  You-all are so lucky . . . It’s a perfect time for great values on Valentine’s Day ebook gifts for your sweetie and yourself. 
  The $1.99 anthologies I mentioned above are chock full of good short stories.
  Plus I lowered the prices of my suspense/thriller Jane Bond-ish novels THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA to $2.49 through Feb. 19. Available at your favorite eBook seller. §§

  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. 

cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed paperback copies of my stories in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6   

Leave a comment for a chance to win...

 cj Sez: Everyone from Mobile, Alabama, has a Mardi Gras story, reads the Amazon blurb for the Mobile Writers Guild anthology MARDI GRAS PIECES.

“Thanks for getting us thrown out of New Orleans.” Joy’s eyes flamed at her brother Ed as he drove through the now-quiet streets of the French Quarter.

  So begins “The Lost Cause Minstrels,” the first story in the anthology and part of the legacy of wonderful writing by inspired writer and lovely friend, Fran Driscoll.
  Readers, the Minstrels must have behaved pretty badly to get thrown out of the South’s partying-est party city, and you’ll soon have a chance to find out the reason for their embarrassing ouster...for free.
  On Saturday, Feb 5, around 5 p.m. on my Facebook author page ( https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor ), I’ll give away a Kindle copy of MARDI GRAS PIECES to some lucky visitor to Lyrical Pens.

  For a chance to win, read, and experience a little bit of Mobile’s Mardi Gras tradition, tell me if you’ve ever eaten a Moonpie or if you even know what one is. A simple “yes” or “no” will get it done. 

  If you shouldn’t happen to win the free copy, you can still buy it here:  https://amzn.to/3IuTYkM  on sale for $1.99 at the time of this post.

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Photo credit: Jeff D. Johnston  LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER: Cajun-French for “Let the good times roll.” 

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  Etcetera and P.S.A.   Writers: If the idea of       attending the Writers Police   Academy sounds appealing   (this year’s guest of honor is   international bestselling author Robert Dugoni), click here for a preview of the sessions: https://leelofland.com/a-preview-of-the-exciting-2022-writers-police-academy-classes/ 

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. 
cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed copies of my stories in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

It's Mardi Gras season in Mobile

cj Sez: You think Mardi Gras is a one-day affair? Like Paczki Day* in Hamtramck, Michigan? Think again, Grasshopper. Mardi Gras may be a one-day affair in some places, but in Mobile, Alabama, it’s a season.

  And for your reading and writing pleasure, here is some info …
  The Mardi Gras season officially started on January 6, the assigned date the three wise men were thought to have visited the baby Jesus—otherwise known as “Three Kings Day” or “Epiphany.”
  In 2022 in the Mobile area, the first parades start on January 29 when the Krewe De La Dauphine rolls the first Mardi Gras parade through the streets of Dauphin Island. The Dauphin Island People’s Parade follows on February 5, and the 2022 Mardi Gras season is off and running. Parades in the city of Mobile, the birthplace of Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S., begin on February 11, and they don’t stop until March 1, the day of Mardi Gras, aka known as Fat Tuesday and Shrove Tuesday.
  For weeks, the streets of Mobile will be filled with the sights and sounds of live marching bands, brilliantly colored floats, and crowds of parade goers. More than 40 parades are scheduled to roll in downtown Mobile and elsewhere in the Gulf Coast area.
Now for some Mardi Gras definitions:
ASH WEDNESDAY: The end of Mobile’s Mardi Gras season. All the excitement and celebrations of Mardi Gras season come to a screeching halt at 12:00 a.m. on Ash Wednesday

CARNIVAL: The term carnival has been loosely translated as “farewell to meat,” the temporary period before the Lenten period when devout Catholics forego eating meat.

KING CAKE: King cake is made of a rising dough, braided into a circle with cinnamon and sugar, topped with fondant icing, and sprinkled with purple, green and gold sugar.
 There is also a teeny, tiny, plastic baby hidden inside the cake to represent the baby Jesus on the Epiphany … Three Kings’ Day, hence the name, King Cake. The person who gets the slice with the baby is known as the king and is supposed to bring a king cake to the next Mardi Gras event.

KREWE: A Mardi Gras organization. Krewe members wear masks when they ride on the floats (colorfully decorated trailers, pulled by trucks) and heave throws into the crowds.  They also fund and create the parades. 

LUNDI GRAS: The French term for “Fat Monday” —the day before Mardi Gras.

MARDI GRAS: The French term for “Fat Tuesday,”—the calendar day of Mardi Gras.

MARDI GRAS BALL: Krewes hold formal balls after their parades. At the balls, the krewe introduces the organization’s honored members, a royal court that includes queens and kings.
THROWS: The goodies that krewes throw from floats into the crowds lining the street during the parades. Toys are popular throws (note the beads decorating grandson's tux), but bright, shiny bead necklaces and moonpies are the most popular throws. MoonPies are graham-cracker-type rounds filled with various flavors of marshmallow, covered in chocolate, and are celebrated items in Mobile … Mobile even celebrates the arrival of the New Year with a Moonpie Drop.

And…

LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER: Cajun-French for “Let the good times roll” (and they do!)
( * http://www.lyricalpens.com/2020/02/its-mardi-gras-season-in-mobileand-in.html) §§

Etcetera and P.S.A. This post from author/editor Judy Penz Sheluk crossed my Facebook page recently, and I think it’s an important educational/informational piece for all you writers out there.  http://www.judypenzsheluk.com/2022/01/22/lets-talk-about-writing-using-lyrics/

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Mobile Writers Guild anthology: 

Mardi Gras Pieces 

ebook on sale at the time of this post for $1.99

Buy Now here:  https://amzn.to/3IuTYkM

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  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S.  The Haunted Bookshop has signed copies of my stories in stock. TO ORDER my author-graphed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

➜ Follow me . . .     ➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page➜ on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ on BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6